housing chickens and goats together w/ guardian

[NaturesPace]

We are planning for our new property and I was thinking of housing the goats with the chickens so we could have just one guardian dog.
We have 2 doelings that we plan on breeding in late winter and about 15 chickens.

Housing will be 2 different buildings. Chickens with a pop-door so goats can't get in. Goats with a 3 sided shed. we plan on having their housing in a fenced dry lot. We have lot's of pasture that they will have access to each day via electronetting, rotating spots every week or so.

I know keeping the goats away from the chicken feed is important, but are there other disadvantages?...advantages?

 

[20kidsonhill]

keeping the chickens form pooping on the hay/feeders for the goats would be my biggest concern. We don't have chickens, I just know that was a problem for some people.

 

[NaturesPace]

Here is a rough estimate of what I'm thinking.

 

[Southern by choice]

you also mentioned a guardian.... if it is a LGD electro netting will not be adequate containment.

20 kids is right... we do not have that problem with our 250+ chickens.... BUT the daggone turkeys that do not ever seek shelter always think the goat hay feeders are for perching and pooping on. They get slaughtered this week.

 

[NaturesPace]

Southern, electronetting won't contain a LGD? Or is there some other reason? I want to be able to move their browsing area every week, but at night they will be in a solid goat proof fence. Chickens will be locked in tight and goats will also be behind bars to sleep.
We are using a 10x10 chain link fence dog run as their coop with 3 sides protected to make it like a loafing shed. I like locking everyone up at night. I also have a nice roof over the dog run/coop.
Here's what it looks like

 

[Moonshine]

Very cool little shed! What is the red hanging thing for?

 

[Moonshine]

Sorry, and what's in your mineral bins?

 

[NaturesPace]

Sorry, and what's in your mineral bins?

The red thing was a ball I thought they would play with. It is now a dog toy. The bins are pink: baking soda, green: kelp, blue: goat minerals.

This is how I have it set up now. I plan on doing similar at our new place. It doesn't get too cold here in the winter.

 

[Moonshine]

Very cool thanks for sharing. I tried to put a 2 liter bottle in with my goats and a soccer ball. They just don't appreciate what I do for them and how creative I am lol. They don't play with either of them!

 

[Southern by choice]

Southern, electronetting won't contain a LGD? Or is there some other reason? I want to be able to move their browsing area every week, but at night they will be in a solid goat proof fence. Chickens will be locked in tight and goats will also be behind bars to sleep.

LGD's need good fencing!

Considering your plan and the fact all animals are locked in at night, when the most serious predator threat happens, and the small rotating areas it doesn't sound as though a LGD is really necessary.
A couple of concerns would be inadequate space, and containment.

If you read many of the LGD posts you will see many ask about "how to keep their LGD's from escaping".
I have 4 LGD's goood fencing and as they mature are behind 5 strand hotwire... that packs a punch.
One of my LGD's will not hesitate to put her head through the hot-wire and take the shock if any thing gets too close. We use wood post and t-post. The srep in rods for the netting ... they will knock that down in a second. How many joules for the wire?

Here are some of the questions I ask for those considering getting a LGD...

The area the dog will be in, the size

Will the dog be moved

If the dog needs to move from pasture to pasture

Will the dog stay with one group and then over time be moved with another group

The set up of the farm

Is the dog going to be far from people house etc

Is the dog off-site where you will see the dog once a day, with little human interaction

How large of an area is being guarded

What kind of animals to be guarded

What other dogs on property

What kind of predators

Predator intensity

Is the farm open to the public with lots of visitors

Owning a LGD is alot of work and a serious commitment. They are very difficult to re-home. LGD's will go through a stage of killing chickens also. This generally starts anywhere from 5-7 months and will need to be worked with. You must be prepared to work diligently for months at a time and accept the loss of birds. A LGD pup will also need worked with as far as livestock to correct "puppy" behaviors, most young LGD's should not be placed with kids, lambs.
A small enclosure will not work with a LGD. They are also nocturnal, this is when they are up, patrolling, watching and guarding... it is also when they bark. Do you have neighbors?

This isn't to deter you it is to help you really think through whether a guardian is needed and will really work for your environment. LGD's are not like other dogs. I see many on craigslist all the time.... mostly because no-one took the time (mostly breeders) to really ask the prospective buyers the right questions and very few are honest about what is really required with these dogs. THEY ARE AWESOME...but.... they come with their own set of frustrations too. Most are "re-homed" because of escaping, barking, killing chickens. Some still have the attitude that you just stick them out in the field and that's it. It is simply not true.
Hope this helps.